Gambia: Protect journalists and trade unionists

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Six Gambian journalists - including three executive members of the Gambian Press Union - were convicted on six counts of sedition and defamation on 6 August 2009. The journalists were sentenced to two years' imprisonment and fined 250,000 Dalasis (US$10,000). Failure to pay could result in them having to serve four extra years in prison. Read the press release

Amnesty considers the six journalists to be prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for peacefully expressing their views.

The journalists were charged after the publication in The Point and Foroyaa newspapers of a press release issued by the Gambian Press Union. The press release criticised the way that the President of the Gambia spoke about fellow journalist Deyda Hydara, a former press union president and editor of The Point newspaper who was murdered in 2004. The press release also reminded the government that since Deydra Hydara's murder there has been no serious investigation into who was responsible and no one has been brought to justice.

The NUJ has set up a fund to help support these journalists financially. Click here to donate

Background information

The six convicted journalists are: Emil Touray, Secretary General of the Gambian Press Union (GPU); Sarata Jabbi Dibba, Vice President of the GPU, Pa Modou Faal, Treasurer of the GPU; Pap Saine and Ebou Sawaneh, publisher and editor of Point newspaper; and Sam Sarr, editor of Foroyaa newspaper. Sarata Jabbia Dibba is currently nursing a six-month old baby.

Freedom of expression in Gambia

Journalists and members of the media are under serious threat in the Gambia. Since 1994 almost 30 journalists have had to leave the country.  More than half of them have had to leave in the last two years alone. Journalists have been subjected to an array of human rights abuses including unlawful arrest and detention, torture, enforced disappearance, and unlawful killing.

Gambians should be able to freely express their views as provided for under Section 207 of the 1997 Gambian Constitution and various regional and international treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights to which Gambia is a party.

• Find out more about the human rights situation in Africa
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• Take action for journalist Ebrima Manneh

 

 EMAIL   LETTER   FAX 

Six Gambian journalists - including three executive members of the Gambian Press Union - were convicted on six counts of sedition and defamation on 6 August 2009. The journalists were sentenced to two years' imprisonment and fined 250,000 Dalasis (US$10,000). Failure to pay could result in them having to serve four extra years in prison. Read the press release

Amnesty considers the six journalists to be prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for peacefully expressing their views.

The journalists were charged after the publication in The Point and Foroyaa newspapers of a press release issued by the Gambian Press Union. The press release criticised the way that the President of the Gambia spoke about fellow journalist Deyda Hydara, a former press union president and editor of The Point newspaper who was murdered in 2004. The press release also reminded the government that since Deydra Hydara's murder there has been no serious investigation into who was responsible and no one has been brought to justice.

The NUJ has set up a fund to help support these journalists financially. Click here to donate

Follow up

All six Gambian journalists have now been released. Thank you to everyone who has taken action on this case. Find out more (PDF)